It had already been 30 minutes since the etiquette class started and I clearly couldn't take it any more. I felt like I was trapped in a boring lecture about manners and rules that I didn't care about.
I turned my head towards Zara, who was sitting next to me. She looked half asleep, her eyes drooping and her head nodding. I wondered how she managed to stay awake at all. Then I glanced on the other side of the rows, where Lydia was sitting.
Lydia was the complete opposite of Zara. She looked rather interested in the class and was even taking notes. She had a notebook and a pen in front of her, and she was writing down everything the teacher said.
She also had a plate of snacks on her desk, and she was taking small nibbles every now and then. She seemed to enjoy the etiquette class, which I found strange. Why would anyone like learning about how to hold a fork or how to greet a stranger?
"Now we're going to move on to the dance class," said the teacher, interrupting my thoughts. I felt lost. A moment ago we were talking about etiquette and how to eat well, how did we get to dance class? I didn't remember signing up for this.
I hated dancing, especially with strangers. I hoped it was a mistake, but the teacher didn't seem to notice my confusion. She smiled and clapped her hands, signaling us to stand up and follow her.
Everyone stood up and we moved to a larger dance room with no tables. There were only wooden floors and mirrors on the walls. Two dance teachers were waiting for us to enter. They were both wearing black outfits and had stern expressions on their faces. They looked like they meant business. I felt a surge of anxiety as I entered the room. I had no idea what to expect.
"We're going to do the same class as last time, with the same partner as last time," said the taller of the two teachers. He had short blond hair and blue eyes. He looked like he was in his thirties. He spoke with a slight accent that I couldn't place. I wasn't there last week, so that's why I didn't know anything about it.
I had missed the first class because I was ' resting'. I wished I was 'rest' again today. I walked over to one of the two teachers and cleared my throat.
"I don't have a partner," I said to the teacher, hoping he would let me sit out. He looked at me with surprise and then clapped his hands.
"What's your name, young lady?" he asked me.
"Aaliyah," I said, feeling nervous.
"Aaliyah," he repeated, then he stood in the middle of the room and drew everyone's attention. He raised his voice and said, "Would anyone like to volunteer to be Aaliyah's partner, please?"
As soon as he said that, at least seven girls rushed towards me. It was the group of girls who were my fans. They have been obsessed with me since the first day but after the fight against Remy and Lila they grew more.
They always send letters to me that I throw away . They wanted to be my 'friends', but I didn't like them. They were annoying and clingy. They also made fun of other girls who were not like them.
"I'd like to," said one girl, reaching out her hand. She had long brown hair and green eyes. She was wearing a pink dress and a matching bow. She looked like a doll. Before I could say anything, Alexandra pushed her away.
"No, I'd like to," said Alexandra, grabbing my arm. She smiled at me with sweetness. "Aaliyah, I love you. You're so talented and beautiful. Please, be my partner."
I tried to pull away from her, but she held on tight. I turned back to Zara, hoping she would help me. But she already had a partner. She was paired up with a boy who had curly brown hair and glasses. He looked like a nerd. He was holding her hand and smiling at her. Zara looked not happy. She didn't notice my distress.
Oh no, I don't want to be with those crazy girls. I looked around the room, searching for an escape. Only one other person was alone and that was Lydia. She was standing in a corner, away from everyone else. She looked bored and annoyed. She didn't seem to care about the dance class either. She was holding her notebook and pen in her hands, and she was doodling something on the paper.
"Aaliyah, you'll be with Lydia," said the teacher, pointing at her. He sounded impatient. He wanted to start the class as soon as possible. All the other girls started to grumble, but I didn't mind.
I was relieved. It was better to be Lydia's partner than those other girls. I quickly walked over to her, leaving Alexandra and the others behind. I hoped they would leave me alone.
"Right, we're going to start the dance class," said the teacher, then clapped his hands and each person got down with their partner.
I moved closer to Lydia, who hardly said a word but just held out her hand and I let go.
The music began, a waltz. Lydia danced well and so did I. We moved in sync, following the rhythm and the steps. We glided across the floor, spinning and turning with grace. After a few minutes, all eyes were on us and even the teacher looked surprised. We were graceful and elegant, like we had practiced for years.
Lydia looked me in the eyes as if she wanted to tell me something but nothing came out of her lips then I tried to talk.
"Can we talk about what happened…" I didn't have time to finish my sentence when Lydia put her finger on my lips. She smiled softly and shook her head. She pulled me closer and whispered in my ear, "Not now, let's just enjoy the moment."
Lydia probably didn't want to talk about it, but I don't want to force the issue either, and Zara is glaring at me, so I'd better stop. I nodded and wrapped my arms around Lydia, feeling her warmth and her heartbeat.
The music stopped and the teacher applauded.
"Everyone, you've done remarkably well, you'll probably all be ready for the end of year ball," he finished, then the bell rang, indicating the end of the class.
I joined Zara, who looked rather irritated.
"What's wrong with you?" I asked her as we made our way out of the room.
"I've had enough of these dancing and etiquette classes and I've asked you to keep your distance from Lydia Aaliyah," she said. She after all she was always like that.
I opened the door and Julie was right in front of it and she came towards us.
"Zara, I'm borrowing you, Aaliyah," Julie said before I followed her into a classroom. She looked excited and nervous, like she had something important to tell me. She closed the door behind us and took a deep breath.
"I've got some new information for you Aaliyah," she finally said. She handed me a folder with some papers and photos. "I've been doing some research after your fight with Lila and here is what I found."